meet my new big sketchbook slash visual journal! it's not as big as the last one because my hands weren't interested in making the pages big enough to sew into the giant covers. but it's still nice and roomy.
plus there's a couple of poms on the cover.
and inside. but i'll show you those later.
this is the new little sketchbook slash visual journal. i used 12 ply waxed linen when i made the big book and forgot to switch over to a smaller punch for the holes of the little book. which is why.
they look SO big. also i used black wallpaper on the spine which was a bad idea because the paper is weak and the slight tears made with the needle ended up looking white. which is why.
i grabbed a copic and colored over the white. but it was darker than the paper so i kept coloring.
whatevers.
i know it doesn't sound like it, but i love my little sketchbook. just the way it is.
quirks and all.
>>it’s not as big as the last one because my hands weren’t interested in making the pages big enough to sew into the giant covers<< Haha, yeah hand sewing books can be the worst sometimes!
These journals are so crazy beautiful! and inspiring! I’m home for a rare sick day today. Between naps and cups of tea perhaps I can get a journal bound. I’ve been without for so long, using unbound pages or old sketchbooks. Yes, I think that’s exactly what I need, the perfect medicine for what crud this is. An antidote even.
Completely beautiful – just love every delicious bit of ’em!
Hmmmm. a few journals at a time would work for my wandering mind…great idea! Also love your paper..hee, hee….I wanted to use a piece but may try to mod podge it first to strengthen it for some on a cover…and the only SENSE OF DREAD I would have right now is if you said, “I am not going to blog for a month or two.”….NOOOOOO!! I have REALLY enjoyed your and Pam’s trip, and it has me looking at things differently in my neighborhood and my house…color combinations etc….LOVE YOUR JOURNALS!! PLUS…I spent a whole evening reading about the author of Madeleine and the fascinating woman …can’t see her name right now, but you know, the last post….loved the interviews, stories, processes of thinking…all of it!! Had a BIG GARAGE sale with some estate stuff last week….YIPPEE bought paint, paper and more art supplies!!
Phantasmagorical! Your pomegranate study is just beautiful. I never thought about having two journals going at once. Now, can you just tell me the secret to filling them up so fast?
So, let me get this straight…you make separate pages from predetermined sizes, paint, sketch, cut/paste, THEN bind and cover the whole kit and caboodle? Or are these books pre made then filled with art sketches, cut/paste? In other words, what is the sequence? Geez, I could have just asked that first thing. Pardon, I’m an old woman!
Makes me happy to look at it and read your blog.
2 going at once! OMG, you’ve just changed my life.
I’ve been with you (and Pam) every minute; just a silent bat on the wall (but a cute bat!) … your images and words never fail to make me happy and to feel your presence once again. Like Sara Berry the Cute said, you’re my favorite.
I’m off to make 2 more journals. Maybe 3. Big ones this time. I paint big and fast.
(((Bear hug)))
Mary Ann! Love your banner – am i crazy or is it of vintage Westwood?! Brought lots of smilies.
Love your journals!
I know that feeling of dread and foreboding ACK …
susie – i like having 2 going at once now so i can work in one while the other is drying. took me a while to figure that out!
barbara – the sense of dread is unrelated to actual dread and more related to a turn of phrase i found funny.
dawn – thanks! i love CLEAVER designs the most.
sharon – click on the classes link in the navigation bar up top
peggy – do not know what art charms are, but they sound charming.
I’m signing up. Yippee! I’ve been saving loose change for a year now (thank you for the great price), and hoarding scraps for forever. I’m ready. And I want to take my charming friends with me. Might you have some ideas for incorporating ArtCharms into our journals?
Thanks, Peggy
It is quite divine and will hold tons of goodies regardless of the size. I love that stitch on the spine. Cleaver looking.
~Dawn
I like, no make that love both journals, big ‘un, little ‘un both look awesome. You get the best of both worlds that way. And honestly there is nothing more amazing to me thatn to see all those journals lined up side by side, all the different sizes, the bindings on each one showing off in all it’s finery. There is no such thing as one size fits all, lots of sizes makes life interesting. I’ve seen your pics of your various journals and I would go simply bonkers if I ever got to see up close and personal. Pam is one lucky girl to have that pleasure every once in awhile. 😉 And as far as coloring in goes, no one would have ever known. I’ve used black paint to cover up white paint that happened to get on my DD’s black sweatshirt, hides it quite well. I also used it to cover up a big splotch of orange paint that got on my brand new black sweats when the paint bottle I was shaking decided to literally explode sending bright orange paint everywhere, carpet, me, shelves, a few journals and even the dog could not escape the wave of orange that flew that day, so I washed em, then covered the orange paint with black paint and it worked out just fine. Nothing a little paint or marker can’t fix.
i love your journals so much. makes me feel like i need to go back through FTB and make more more more. xoxo also, i love how you explain your choices, or rather, tell us how you got there. you’re my favorite, mary ann.
What’s the sense of dread? Are you thinking about going back to school in January?
I love your journals! They cheer me up. Do you teach a bookbinding class online?
Oh! The minute I cast my eyes on your illustrated “sense of dread” page my tummy flopped. Can’t you think of SOMETHING else to do?